Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic does not have any HIV-specific entry or immigration ban. There is no HIV testing at ports of entry, and immigration officers do not ask about HIV status.

The Dominican Republic Ministry of Health has  confirmed that there is no entry ban for people living with HIV. 

The website of the Dominican Republic government states that visa applications require a ‘medical certification that the petitioner does not have any infectious or contagious diseases.’ However, said certificate does not include HIV testing or disclosing and only applies. 

We are aware of some official restrictions on short-term stay of people living with HIV in the Dominican Republic.

While medical examinations are required to apply for residency, such examinations do not include HIV testin. 

Dominican law protects the rights and privacy of people living with HIV. It is illegal to require anyone, Dominican or foreigner, to disclose their HIV status or to force them to take an HIV test. The law permits mandatory HIV testing only in specific cases: criminal investigations, blood or organ donation, or during pregnancy.

Although the law prohibits the use of HIV testing for employee screening, a country report published by the US Government points out that “Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) reported that workers in various industries faced mandatory HIV testing. Sometimes workers were tested without their knowledge or consent. Many job applicants found to have HIV were not hired, and some of those already employed were dismissed from their jobs or denied adequate health care.”

The same restrictions apply for long-term stays on people living with HIV in the Dominican Republic.

UNAIDS reports that people living with HIV are denied residency permits.

According to the US Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs, “some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions exist for visitors to and foreign residents of the Dominican Republic.” UNAIDS reports that entry is denied on the basis of HIV status. It is not clear when the ban was lifted. 

The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. There is no evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.

The HIV and AIDS Law No. 135-11 of 7 June 2011 establishes under the right to health in Article 4, the right of every person living with HIV to receive treatment. Therefore, antiretroviral treatment in the Dominican Republic has no direct cost to HIV-positive people who require treatment. The Ministry of Health, through the National Council for HIV and AIDS (CONAVIHSIDA), is responsible for guaranteeing antiretroviral drugs for people living with HIV who live in the Dominican Republic.

For treatment information and direction to services, contact ‘Consejo Nacional para el VIH y el SIDA (CONAVIHSIDA)’.

In April 2025, it was reported that a new health protocol had been adopted by the government which included a policy of deporting migrants who receive emergency care, hospitalisation, or childbirth.

• UNAIDS
• US Department of State
• Migration Department
• Foreign Affairs Service Portal
• HIV and AIDS Law No. 135-11 of 7 June 2011
• National Council for HIV and AIDS (CONAVIHSIDA)
• US – CDC direct exchange